Bulimia Nervosa

This disorder is characterized by excessive eating by the individual, to the extent that they feel they have lost control over their eating during the act. Certainly, this style of eating causes severe anxiety and distress, leading the affected person to feel guilt, self-disgust, and fear of weight gain. They may compensate for binge eating through vomiting, exercise, fasting, misuse of laxatives, or often a combination of these methods. An important feature of this disorder is the individual’s perception of themselves as overweight, which leads them to constantly be dieting. However, these diets are irregular and lack consistency. This very negative view of their own obesity causes ongoing low self-esteem and social withdrawal, resulting in low mood and a significant reduction in quality of life. Nevertheless, it appears that some of these individuals have adapted well to this negative self-view because they can conceal their disorder from family and friends.